Emmerdale's Rebecca Sarker: 'Manpreet is at breaking point'

Emmerdale serial killer Meena Jutla (Paige Sandhu) may finally be in prison for her crimes, but star Rebecca Sarker says she is still pulling the strings.

Speaking at a recent press event, Sarker tells us that her character Manpreet Sharma feels 'Meena is controlling her life'.

In a bid to move forward after her ordeal at the hands of her younger sister, Manpreet has returned to work as a GP. But thanks to Meena’s impact, upsetting comments have started to appear on the surgery website.

“[Manpreet is] aware of everybody’s perception of her,” says Sarker. “And she takes this big step to try and claw her way back to a bit of normality by going back to work, but those hopes are immediately dashed by these insensitive posts. She feels Meena is controlling her life, even from behind bars.”

Read more: Next week on Emmerdale

There is also the matter of Meena’s plea hearing. Manpreet tells Meena that unless she confesses everything, she’ll never see her again.

“She’s petitioned her sister in prison, she’s given her an ultimatum. Is that enough to call on Meena’s conscience?” the actor ponders. “Deep down she has very little faith that her sister will do the right thing.”

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Manpreet also knows that everything rests on her testimony in court, given that Meena confessed to her in the first place. “She really feels that she’s on her own. It’s a huge burden for Manpreet, really.”

Proving once again that her evil streak knows no bounds, Meena then accuses Manpreet of killing Andrea Tate (Anna Nightingale). This comes after Meena provided her own chilling account of Andrea's death to Charles Anderson (Kevin Mathurin).

“Meena can twist things, she lies, she’s very convincing. Nothing is beyond the realms of possibility as far as Meena is concerned. It’s so far-fetched, yet there Manpreet is being questioned [for Andrea’s murder]. Manpreet is just absolutely incredulous,” reveals Sarker.

“At one point she sort of questions the policeman’s intelligence, she’s like ‘come on!’ I doubt that Manpreet’s ever been questioned by the police in such a way, ever. She copes admirably, she’s very strong.”

Sadly Manpreet’s facade is set to crumble, and she suffers a panic attack. “She’s witnessed her sister tormenting her and Liam, and playing up to her audience which admittedly is smaller than [Meena] hoped for.

Read more: Emmerdale: Five ways Meena could exit

“That sort of built-up tension and the pressure, the panic attack is a release from all that angst,” she adds.

“It’s probably the lowest she’s ever been, she’s at breaking point.”

While Meena continues to make Manpreet’s life hell, Sarker tells us she will miss working with co-star Paige Sandhu.

“It’s a bit strange, to say the least, to think that I’m not going to be with her. I can’t really imagine her not being part of Manpreet’s storyline, and vice versa.”

Asked if she thinks Sandhu has a bright future in the industry, there’s no hesitation from Sarker: “Absolutely no doubt in my mind, she’s fabulous!”

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